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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
REVISED
ROTC cadets; in-state student status
Purpose
Expands eligibility for in-state student classification by including contracted cadets participating in a Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) program in Arizona.
Background
To be eligible to classify as an in-state student at an Arizona community college or public university for tuition purposes, a person must be domiciled in Arizona for one year, subject to outlined exceptions. A person who is not domiciled in Arizona for at least one year is entitled to in-state student classification under certain conditions, including if the person: 1) has participated in AmeriCorps in Arizona for at least one year; 2) is a member and resident of a recognized Indian tribe whose reservation land lies in Arizona and extends to another state; 3) is a veteran or honorably discharged or retired member of the U.S. Armed Forces and meets specified requirements; or 4) is a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or the spouse or dependent of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces and meets specified requirements (A.R.S. § 15-1802).
To prepare
selected students for commissioned service in the U.S. Armed Forces, the
Secretary of each military department may establish and maintain a Senior ROTC
program at any accredited civilian educational institution authorized to grant
baccalaureate degrees (10
U.S.C.
§ 2102).
Contracted cadets are students who have entered into a contractual agreement with a military department that the student will complete the ROTC program and commission as an officer in the associated branch of the U.S. Armed Forces upon graduation (ASU).
The Joint
Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) fiscal note estimates that expanding
in-state student classification eligibility to include contracted cadets would
reduce tuition revenues to public universities by between $812,000 and
$2,400,000 per year, depending on the number of contracted cadets participating
in the Western Undergraduate Exchange Program. Since public university
appropriations from the state General Fund (state GF) are not based on
enrollment, JLBC estimates that S.B. 1021 would not impact the state GF (JLBC
fiscal note).
Provisions
1. Entitles a person who is a contracted cadet participating in an ROTC program in Arizona to classification as an in-state student for tuition purposes.
2. Makes conforming changes.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Revision
· Updates the fiscal impact statement.
Prepared by Senate Research
March 13, 2025
MH/SDR/ci